Posted by Lorraine on December 26, 2001, at 19:35:39
In reply to Re: im trying to quit, im losing my mind, posted by GJ on December 26, 2001, at 12:38:32
I was on Effexor XR for about a year, gained 45 pounds, lost all interest in sex, decided to go off of it. This proved very, very difficult. It took me about 3 months and I ended up counting the grains in the capsule to go off the medication. After that I read that to get off Effexor (which has a long half life) you need add a longerer half life medication like Prozac for a little while as you cut down. You should try this.
> Comment to Lesslee!
>
> I have been on Efexor XR for 2 1/2 year.
> The first year and 1/2 with quite good results - but after that time I began to feel strange (not beeing myself) and sometimes aggressive at the job, feeling a lack of personal judgement in many situations.
> In May I tried to phase out the medication and went from 150 to 75 mg/day - It worked fine for some weeks, whereafter I returned to 150 mg due to some problems at the job.
>
> During this autumn I have started to feel more and more apathic, lacking energy and feeling sleepy and also lately having problem with my concentration - fx. if I am trying to read a book etc. - often day dreams take over.
> Physically I have gained almost 10 kg of weight during the last year - eventhough I am going to gynm 1 1/2 hour every week, I am swimming 1 hour once or twice a week and I am carefully with what and how much I eat, it seems to be impossible to reduce my weight.
> I have also started to have stomach problem, with increased acid production and extreame gas production and lately a have had incidence of momentary paralysis/convulsions of my fingers.
>
> .... To me it seems that Effexor has some not yet accepted long term side effects as I have described above, which may not appear before after 1 or 1 1/2 years of use.
> I have read about similar/related long term side effects on other web-sites - Please, let me know if anyone else has discovered long term side effects with effexor?
>
> Early in the new year I will ask my Phychiatrist to help me taper out my use of Effexor, and I need any good advice I can get - I simply do not dare to on taking Effexor.
> Best Regards and Happy New Year GJ
poster:Lorraine
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/87907.html